Tripods..

[HoboSyke]

Hi everyone. I need a new tripod.
The one I have now isnt suffice to hold my Canon 20D comfortable, especially with some f2.8 lenses on the way.
I have been told this setup is very good. Manfrotto 029/055 combo.
Now I have no idea what this means. I read it on another forum, which to say the least isnt very helpfull and full of arrogant people. The complete opposite of this forum

Anyone have any links or advice for me on a suitable tripod.
Preferably places to buy in Australia would be helpfull as well.

Thanks for reading..

 

[DocFrankenstein]

The complete opposite of this forum

Kissass! :mrgreen:

which 2.8 exactly? There's the 400/2.8 and the 70-200
Do you intend to hike with it?

Manfrotto 055 is a good set of legs... even for 2.8 lenses. It's big and sturdy. It's also quite heavy.

I'm against 029 ballhead, since it's a 3 way head. Too many levers to adjust. A ballhead is better. Decent ones go for 200+

My ultimate tripod would be this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...796&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

And some ballhead on it like Kirk or Arcatech...

 

[Big Mike]

Manfrotto is a great brand, you can't go wrong there.

The question is what are your needs/wants & budget?

A big heavy tripod will be very stable...but hard to lug around. A light tripod will be easy to carry but could be flimsy. A light but sturdy tripod (carbon fiber) will cost you an arm & a leg.

What kind of head do you want on the tripod? Cheap tripods usually have a built-in 3-way head. There are nice 3-way heads & ball heads but I'd prefer a pistol grip ball head...those are pretty slick. Of course better will be more expensive.

There are tripods that will allow you to spread the legs way out, as to get close to the gound. There are heas that allow you to reverse the centre collumn, to get close to the ground.

 

[tirediron]

One BIG vote in favour of the 029 head. yeah, a lot of levers, but if you're doing landscape, portrait or other work where you can take your time, it's hard to beat. Definitely go for the version with the quick-release plate. For legs, I'm using the Manfrotto 190Pro. I do a lot of hiking for my pics, and since CF just wasn't in the budget, these were about the largest I comfortably put on my pack and tote for any long distance. The big plus to the 'Pro' series is the ability to place the column at right angles to the legs... allows you to get stable shots in some very unusual situations.

Best bet... go to a good camera store, and look at all the different legs & heads they have. Describe your kit & type of photography in detail to the sales person and then see what he/she recommends. Do not go cheap, you will regret it quickly!!

 

[Dweller]

I read it on another forum, which to say the least isnt very helpfull and full of arrogant people. The complete opposite of this forum

I think I know that forum.. I am so glad I found this place hehe

Dont have naything useful to ad, but I will be seeing what is talked about here since a new tripod is one my someday list

 

[HoboSyke]

The tripod will have to hold my Canon 20D with atleast a 24-70 and 70-200mm f2.8 lenses.
MY price range would be upto about AU$500. Wont be doing alot of hiking and I dont want to comprimise my camera hitting the dirt so a heavier tripod wont affect my purchase.
What are these pistol grip heads people have been mentioning? They sound interesting.

 

[Dweller]

Here is an example of a pistol grip head. It has a lever that you squeeze to unlock the head and then it pivots on a ball. You point the camera in what ever direction you need then release the lever and it locks in place.

I dont own one but I hope to someday. I really liked the few I have looked at in the store.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=5558&is=REG

 

[HoboSyke]

Thanks for the pic Dweller. They look pretty trick. Will have to look into it more.

 

[DocFrankenstein]

Pistol grips suck. They won't lock your 70-200 2.8 securely.

 

[Dweller]

hmm.. I wondered about that when I saw the specs on one saying "max weight 5.5 pounds" and thought about how much my camera with the winder and the biggest lens weighs... I am betting its more than 5.5 pounds hehe

 

[usayit]

You can't go wrong with Manfrotto/Bogen tripod legs.... just find one that fits your needs. It is a balance between weight, stability, and price.

As for the head, I'd definitely go with the pro balls. Nice smooth adjustment, good maximum weight spec, and they have very effective tensioning adjustment ( missing on their non-pro balls ). As for the pistol grips.... At first I really thought they were a good idea, but I really didn't like them in the end. No... they won't hold either of my cameras which both have battery grips while using some of the heafty L lenses.

I'm still in the ol'boat who still likes the 3-way heads. Versatile, find and accurate adjustment of each of the axis seperately.